ST. CLOUD, Minn. — A 17-year-old St. Cloud hockey player was killed in a car crash on Saturday night, according to police.
According to the Stearns County Sheriff's Office, officers were called to the 21000 block of 23rd Avenue in St. Augusta. Police said the address is around five miles south of St. Cloud.
Police said the crash was reported by a passing motorist. When other bystanders arrived at the accident scene, officials said they were able to pull the male driver from his vehicle and start CPR.
When officers got to the area they continued lifesaving efforts, but they were ultimately unsuccessful and the driver was declared dead at the scene.
Officials said the victim was 17-year-old Charlie Boike of St. Augusta. Boike was driving a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer south on 23rd Avenue at the time of the crash. The vehicle left the road, entered the ditch and rolled, police said.
Police noted that roads were slippery at the time of the crash and had been wet all day due to weather conditions.
Charlie's mother, Erika Boike, said her son had just been inducted into the National Honor Society earlier this year.
"He had a smile that will light up the room in the darkest of rooms. He would do anything for anybody. He had a way of being able to connect with all ages," Erika Boike said. "Make sure you hug your kids extra tight. You just don't know if there could be another last time."
A GoFundMe for the family has already raised nearly $40,000 as of Monday night.
The family plans to use the money to create a scholarship fund in Charlie's honor.
"The outpouring from the community has been unimaginable and so overwhelming. This community is definitely the glue that keeps a family that's struggling together," Erika Boike said. "I would give it all back to have him walk through the door right now."
Pete Matanich, the head coach of the St. Cloud Crush boy's team that combines players from St. Cloud Tech and Apollo, said that Charlie had an "amazing personality." He said Charlie had just played one of the best games of his career in a JV contest on Saturday night, just prior to his death that occurred while he was driving home.
"I put my arm around him and told him how proud I was of him," Matanich said. "We'll really, really miss Charlie. He was a great part of our community, a great part of our team. All the guys, all the players loved him. A true teammate. If you had the definition of a teammate, it would be Charlie Boike."
On Sunday, the St. Cloud Youth Hockey Association posted a brief tribute to Boike, saying:
It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of one of our hockey players this past evening. Our hearts and prayers are with the Boike family and friends as we are heartbroken over the loss of our hockey teammate, Charlie.
Our hockey community is one that truly comes together in times like this and we ask you all to lift this family up as they grieve the loss of their son, brother, and friend. To honor his life, we ask all families to place a stick outside your doors tonight so he can play hockey with the angels.
Officials with the St. Cloud Crush also posted Sunday afternoon on Twitter:
It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of one of our hockey players this past evening. Our hearts and prayers are with the Boike family and friends as we are heartbroken over the loss of our hockey teammate, Charlie.
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